Indiana High School teacher resigns over transgender pronouns

An Indiana school district officially accepted a teacher’s resignation after the educator claimed he was forced to resign for violating the transgender student policy.

The Brownsburg Community School Corporation announced it had accepted the resignation of John Kluge, a former Brownsburg High School orchestra teacher, during a school board meeting on Monday.

Kluge, 28, said he submitted a tentative resignation letter last month because officials threatened to fire him. Kluge attempted to rescind his resignation on May 25, but it was already being processed.

The district said Kluge voluntarily submitted his resignation.

Kluge said the district’s transgender name policy goes against his religious beliefs and violates his constitutional rights.

The new school policy, which will be implemented next school year, states that students must have written consent from a parent and doctor to request a name change. The school’s policy allowed for teachers to call students by their last names this year, but starting next year, teachers will be required to call students by their preferred name and pronouns listed in the school’s system.

“I’m being compelled to encourage students in what I believe is something that’s a dangerous lifestyle,” Kluge told the Indianapolis Star. “I’m fine to teach students with other beliefs, but the fact that teachers are being compelled to speak a certain way is the scary thing.”

LGBTQ community advocates said the practice was a sign of respect and wasn’t about religion or politics.

Kluge was in attendance at the Monday night school board meeting, where he addressed his situation, FOX 59 reported.

“I wanted to be able to teach my subject matter with a clean conscience,” Kluge said. “You’ve approved my resignation without me being able to appeal my resignation.”

About 45 members of the community were also in attendance to state their opinion, including transgender student, Aidyn Sucec, who told FOX 59 he was in Kluge’s orchestra class.

“Everybody advocating in support for Kluge needs to think about what is like to be a transgender person and what it is like to live your life knowing that there are people that would say that you are not an actual human being and actively disrespect you,” Sucec said.

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